Electric plug



United States Patent 3,179,916 ELECTRHC PUG Magnus C. Larson, 546 W. Olney Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. Filed Apr. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 271,114 9 Claims. (Cl. 339-174) The present invention generally relates to an electric plug and more particularly to a novel method of connecting electric wires to an electric plug or similar fixture in which wires are electrically connected to spaced terminals, prongs or the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electric plug having a novel method of connecting electric wires thereto in which a movable element having passages receiving bare electric wires is associated with contacts, prongs or the like so that the movable element may bc moved to a position for bringing the electric wires into engagement with the prongs or the like and locked in this position thereby quickly and securely but detachably securing the electric wires to the prongs or the like.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel structure and method of connecting electric wires to plugs or other fixtures whereby the electric Wire is guided by a member to a position where it achieves contact where needed on the electric plug or other fixture. This arrangement can be employed on various plane surfaces either in a straight line manner or in an arcuate or circular manner.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an electric plug having novel means for securing the movable member in position and having a novel association of the movable member with the terminals or prongs.

Yet another feature of the present invention is to provide an electric plug or other fixture having a novel structure for enabling easy connection of and disconnection of electric wires which is simple in construction, easy to use, effective for making an electrical and mechanical connection, easy to incorporate in various orientations and uses and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts thoughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an electric plug employing the concepts of the present invention therein;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view through the center of the plug of FIGURE l illustrating the orientation of the components when in the assembled condition;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 2 but with the movable member in an unlocked position with the electric wires inserted thereinto;

FIGURE 4 is a Vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 4-4 of FIGURE 2 illustrating further structural details of the plug;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation view of the plug illustrating the construction of the lockpin for the movable member;

FlGURE 6 is a perspective view of the movable locking rod illustrating the top side thereof;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the locking rod illustrating the bottom surface thereof; and

FIGURE S is a perspective View of the looking pin for the movable locking rod.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 16 generally designates an electric plug incorporating the present inventive concepts therein. While the invention has been described in connection with an electric plug of the male type, the present invention may be incorporated into any type of electric plug, any type of electric fixture and, in fact, any orientation in which an electric Wire or wires are to be connected to a pair of contacts, prongs,`

terminals or the like with the present invention enabling such a connection to be readily completed without requiring the use of any tools or other specialized implements.

As illustrated, the electric plug includes a body 12 of insulating material such as plastic, hard rubber or the like with the body 12 including two Sections 14 and 16 in face-to-face relationship and joined together by clamping screws 18. A pair of prongs 20 and 22 extcnd from one side edge of the plug 10 in parallel relation to each other and in perpendicular relation to the side edge. For purposes of orientation, the side edge from which the prongs 26 and 22 project Will be considered the upper edge or end of the plug body 12. The body 12 is provided with a transversely extending passageway 24 perpendicular to the prongs 20 and 22 and extending from side edge to side edge of the plug body 12. The passageway 24 is formed by grooves formed in the facing surfaces of the members 14 and 16 which form the plug body 12 and slidably receives a locking bar or movable member 26. As illustrated, the movable locking bar or rod 26 is square in cross-sectional configuration as is the passageway 24. However, any suitable polygonal shape may be employed for both the locking rod 26 and the passageway 24' so that the locking rod 26 cannot rotate about its longitudinal axis but can reciprocate in the passageway 24. The top surface of the locking rod 26 is provided with a longitudinal recess 28 therein which receives the terminal ends 30 of the prongs 20 and 22 respectively with the terminal ends 3% being laterally offset in perpendicular relation to the prongs 20 and 22 respectively whereby the terminal ends 3h are received in the recess 28 with the terminal end 36 serving to limit the movement of the locking rod 26 to prevent accidental loss thereof and also in order to properly orientate the locking rod 26 in its unlocked position as illustrated in FIGURE 3 for aligning a pair of apertures 32 in the locking rod 26 with a pair of spaced parallel passageways 34 in the form of bores in the plug body 12 which are aligned with the apertures 32 when the looking rod 26 is disposed in the unlocked position.

The portion of the plug body 12 above the passageway 2d is provided with a pair of spaced and parallel sockets or bores 36 in alignment with the bores 34 and in alignment with the aperatures 32 when the looking rod 26 is in the unlocked position. In this orientation, electric wires 33 having insulating material 4G thereon are inserted in the bores 34 with the end portion of the insulation 4h being stripped away 'whereby the electric wires 33 extend inwardly through the bores 34, through the apertures 32 and into the sockets 36 as illustrated in FIGURE 3. To faclitate the insertion of the electric wires 38, the inner end of the bore 34 is provided with a tapered guiding surface 42 and the bottom surface of the locking rod 26 has a pair of generally oval-shaped and tapered recesses 44 communicating with the apertures 32 thereby guiding the electric wires 38 into the apertures 32 and aligning the electric wires 38 with the sockets 36 for insertion thereinto. In this condition, the structure will be orientated as illustrated in FIGURE 3 and the locking rod 26 may then be shifted toward the right to the position illustrated in FIGURE 2 wherein the electric wires 38 are then deformed laterally as designated by numeral 46 in the recesses 44 and also will be brought into contacting relation with the terminal ends 39 of the prongs 20 and 22 respectively thereby electrically connecting the wires 38 with the prongs 20 and 22 respectively and securely holding the wires in an electrical and mechanical engagement therewith.

A latching pin generally designated by numeral 48 is 3 provided for retaining the locking r'od 26 in the locked position as illustrated in FIGURE 2. The locking or latching pin 48 includes a single piece of Wire or rod formed into a first leg 50 having a laterally offset terminal endportion 52 and a laterally offset U-ehaped or bight porton S4 and a straight leg 56 extending beyond the laterally offset terminal end 52. The leg 56 is longitudinally slidably disposed in a bore 58 parallel to the bores 34- and communicating with the passageway 24 whereby the terminal end of the leg 56 may be inserted into an aperture or bore 60 formed in the locking rod 26 which will enable the leg 56 and the latch pin 53 to be moved inwardly to the position illustrated in FIG- URE 2 in which the terminal end of the leg 56 is received in the aperture 60. In this position, the laterally offset bight portion or loop 54 is disposed alongside the bottom surface of the plug 12 and this ofiset portion 54 serves as a handle for pushing the latch pin inwardly or pulling it outwardly to released position as illustrated in FEC'URE 3. The leg 50 is disposed in a recess 62 in the side edge of the plug body 12 and the laterally otfset end 52 is moveably received in a lateral recess 64 for guiding and limiting the movement of the latch pin 48 in relation to the plug body 12 so that the pin 56 will not be capable of being completely removed out of the bore 58. Thus, from the position illustrated in FIGURE 3, the lock rod 26 is moved to the right thus bringing the electric wires 38 into contact with the terminal ends 30 of the prongs 20 and 22. When the locked position has been attained, the aperture 60 will be aligned with the bore 58 and the latch pin 48 may then be moved inwardly thus bringing the terminal end of the leg 56 into the bore or aperture 60. In this position, the electric wires 38 will be securely anchored to the plug and securely electrically connected to the prongs 20 and 22. When it is desired to release the electric wires, it is only necessary to retract the latching pin 48, move the locking rod 26 to the left and pull the electric wires away from the plug.

With this construction, the only preparation of the electric wires necessary is to strip the insulation from a relatively small length of the terminal ends thereof. No special screw drivers or other implements are necessary in securing the electrical wires to the plug. As previously mentioned, this manner of connection of electric wires may be employed in various fixtures, electric plugs, sockets or the like.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A device for connecting an electric Wire to the terminal end of a contact comprising an insulating body, said contact being embedded in said insulating body, said body having a passageway extending therethrough, a locking rod slidable in said passageway, said contact having a terminal end disposed in the passageway, said rod having an aperture extending therethrough with one end of the aperture having communication with the terminal end of the contact, said body having a bore in alignment with the aperture in the locking rod in the unlocked position of the rod for receiving an electric wire therein whereby the terminal end of the electric wire may be moved with the locking rod into engagement with the terminal end of the contact thereby electrically connecting the electric wire to the contact, and means securing the locking rod in operative position for retaining the electric wire in engagement with the terminal end of the contact, said locking rod having a recess therein receiving the terminal .end of the contact whereby the terminal end of the contact is disposed in parallel relation to the movement path of the locking rod and engaging the locking rod to limit the movement thereof so that the aperture in the locking rod will align with the bore in the body.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for securing the locking rod in position includes a slidable pin disposed in a bore in the body and insertable into'the passageway in the body, said locking rod having an aperture alignable with the pin for receiving the locking pin when the locking rod is in its locked position.

3. An electric plug comprising an insulating body, a pair of prongs projecting from one side of said body in parallel relation thereto and terminating in terminal ends disposed in perpendicular relation to the prongs, said body having a passageway extendng therethrough in perpendicular relation to the prongs with the terminal ends of the prongs being received in said passageway, a locking rod slidably disposed in said passageway, said body having a pair of parallel bores extending from one surface thereof to the passageway in perpendicular relation thereto, said locking rod having a pair of apertures extending therethrough for selective alignment with the bores whereby electric wires may be inserted into the bores with the wires received in the apertures in the locking rod whereby the electric wires may be moved laterally with the locking rod into engagement with the terminal ends of the prongs, said locking rod having a recess in the top surface thereof for engaging with and receiving the terminal ends of the prongs, said terminal ends engaging the ends of the recess for limiting movement of the locking rod.

4. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein the apertures in said locking rod have a funnel-shaped end portion for alignment with the bores for facilitating guiding movement of the electric wires through the apertures in the locking rod.

5. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said locking rod is provided with an aperture therethrough, a pin sldably mounted in said body for insertion into the aperture in the locking rod, and means on said pin for guiding and limiting the sliding movement thereof in relation to the body.

6. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein the length of said locking rod is greater than the length of the passageway whereby the ends thereof will project beyond the ends of the passageway to facilitate movement thereof in either direction in relation to the insulating body.

7. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said body includes sockets on the opposite side of the passageway from the bores and being in alignment therewith for alignment with the apertures in the locking rod when in unlocked position whereby the terminal ends of the electric wires may be inserted into the sockets through the bores and apertures for insuring that an electric wire will contact the terminal ends of the prongs.

8. A device for connecting an electric conductor to the terminal end of a contact comprising a body of insulation material, said contact extending into said body, said body having a passageway extending therethrough, a locking rod having abutment means adjacent each end thereof and slidably disposed in said passageway for movement between a locked and unlocked position, said contact having a terminal end disposed in the passageway, said rod having an aperture extending therethrough with one end of the aperture having communication with the terminal end of the contact when the locking rod is in locked position, said body also having a bore therein in alignment with the aperture in the locking rod when the locking rod is in an unlocked position for receiving the end of an electrical conductor therein whereby the terminal end of the conductor may be moved with the locking rod into engagement With the terminal end of the contact thereby electrically oonnecting the conduotor to the contact, the terminal end of said contact forming an abutment for engaging the abutment means on the looking rod Whereby the terminal end of the contact limits the movement of the looking rod toward its locked and unlocked positions so that the aperture in the looking rod Will align With the bore in the body When lthe looking rod is in unlocked position and the end of the oonductor inserted into the aperture in the looking rod will be brought into electrical contact With the terminal end of said contact when the looking rod is moved to locked position.

9. A device for connecting an electric oonductor to the terminal end of a contact oomprising a body of insulation material, said contact extending into said body, said body having a passageway extending therethrough, a looking rod having abutment means adjacent each end thereof and slidably disposed in said passageway for movement between a locked and unlocked position, said contact having a terminal end disposed in the passage- Way, said rod having an aperture extending therethrough With one end of the aperture having communication with the terminal end of the contact when the looking rod is in locked position, said body also having a bore therein in alignrnent with the aperture in the looking rod when the looking rod is in an unlocked position for receiving the end of an electrical oonductor therein whereby the terminal end of the oonductor may be moved with the looking rod into engagement with the terminal end of the contact thereby electrically connecting the conductor to the contact, the terminal end of said contact forming an abutment for engaging the abutment means on the looking rod whereby the terminal end of the contact limits the movernent of the looking rod toward its locked and unlocked positions so that the aperture in the looking rod Will align With the bore in the body when the looking rod is in unlocked position and the end of the oonductor inserted into the aperture in the looking rod will be brought into electrical contact with the terminal end of said contact when the looking rod is moved to locked position, said abutment means on the looking rod including a reoess defined in the surface of the looking rod remote from the bore in said body with the ends of said reoess defining abutments, the terminal end of said contact being disposed in said reoess for engagement with the abutments on said looking rod, said reoess oommunicating With the aperture in the looking rod for assuring engagement between the oonductor and the terminal end of the contact when the looking rod is moved to a locked position with the aperture in the looking rod misaligned With the bore in the body and disposed adjacent the terminal end of the contact.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,848,705 8/58 Williams et al 339-174 3,047 ,830 7/62 Yslas 339-174 FOREIGN PATENTS 953,773 5/49 France.

JOSEPI-l D. SEERS, Primary Examner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR CONNECTING AN ELECTRIC WIRE TO THE TERMINAL END OF A CONTACT COMPRISING AN INSULATING BODY, SAID CONTACT BEING EMBEDDED IN SAID INSULATING BODY, SAID BODY HAVING A PASSAGEWAY EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, A LOCKING ROD SLIDABLE IN SAID PASSAGEWAY, SAID CONTACT HAVING A TERMINAL END DISPOSED IN THE PASSAGEWAY, SAID ROD HAVING AN APERTURE EXTENDING THERETHROUGH WITH ONE END OF THE APERTURE HAVING COMMUNICATION WITH THE TERMINAL END OF THE CONTACT, SAID BODY HAVING A BORE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE APERTURE IN THE LOCKING ROD IN THE UNLOCKED POSITION OF THE ROD FOR RECEIVING AN ELECTRIC WIRE THEREIN WHEREBY THE TERMINAL END OF THE ELECTRIC WIRE MAY BE MOVED WITH THE LOCKING ROD INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TERMINAL END OF THE CONTACT THEREBY ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING THE ELECTRIC WIRE TO THE CONTACT, AND MEANS SECURING THE LOCKING ROD IN OPERATIVE POSITION FOR RETAINING THE ELECTRIC WIRE IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TERMINAL END OF THE CONTACT, SAID LOCKING ROD HAVING A RECESS THEREIN RECEIVING THE TERMINAL END OF THE CONTACT WHEREBY THE TERMINAL END OF THE CONTACT IS DISPOSED IN PARALLEL RELATION TO THE MOVEMENT PATH OF THE LOCKING ROD AND ENGAGING THE LOCKING ROD TO LIMIT THE MOVEMENT THEREOF SO THAT THE APERTURE IN THE LOCKING ROD WILL ALIGN WITH THE BORE IN THE BODY. 